EcoCortec, the European subsidiary of Cortec Corporation, has developed two certified compostable packaging films, EcoShrink and EcoWrap, for heavy-duty industrial use as direct replacements for conventional polyethylene film. Manufactured at the company’s facility in Croatia, the films are designed to help operations teams maintain pallet load stability and meet environmental targets using existing wrapping equipment and packaging workflows.

Single-use polyethylene film remains one of the largest contributors to unrecyclable plastic waste across manufacturing and logistics facilities. Facilities generate substantial volumes of stretch and shrink film daily, used solely for load containment and inventory staging. As disposal fees, carbon reporting requirements, and regional plastic surcharges increase, plant managers face growing pressure to find functional, bio-based alternatives that perform on standard packaging lines. According to the company, early bio-based packaging films often lacked the mechanical strength required for automated pallet wrappers, causing frequent tears and load failures in transit.

EcoShrink is intended for heat-shrinking both oversized equipment and smaller components. The company states it is formulated with 45% biopolymers sourced from certified commercially compostable resins. When standard heat is applied, the film is said to shrink evenly to form a protective barrier that seals out dust, dirt, and moisture, providing protection during transit and extended outdoor yard storage. According to the company, EcoShrink maintains its structural integrity under normal storage conditions and begins breaking down only when exposed to an industrial composting environment.

Compostable alternatives for palletizing and cargo bundling

For palletizing and cargo bundling, EcoWrap is described by the company as the first commercially available compostable, industrial-strength stretch film. It is certified ‛Ok compost Industrial’ by TÜV Austria under EN 13432 and ASTM D6400. EcoWrap incorporates a specialized tackifier formulation intended to address common bioplastic performance limitations, providing the cling and stretch elasticity needed to run on standard automated wrapping equipment without machine retrofits or workflow adjustments. Due to its tensile strength, the company says operators can secure heavy pallet loads using fewer wraps compared to conventional stretch film, which it states reduces material consumption per unit shipped and helps offset rising plastic taxes and landfill surcharges. EcoWrap is designed for commercial composting facilities, where it breaks down alongside organic waste into soil for agricultural use.

EcoWrap and EcoShrink are applicable across manufacturing, e-commerce, agriculture, and logistics operations as an alternative to conventional polyethylene films.

While stretch and shrink wrapping remain essential in modern logistics, the company states that contributing to landfill volume and unrecyclable plastic waste streams is no longer an inevitable byproduct of shipping. By adopting EcoWrap and EcoShrink, industrial operations can route used packaging to local commercial composting facilities instead of waste compactors, which the company says allows packaging engineers and logistics managers to meet corporate waste-reduction targets without compromising load integrity or shipping protection.